Clyde’s philosophy of photography is to isolate specific slices of the
natural world to better examine a subject in a transitory landscape. He
exhibits and excellent collection of examples. Anyone who has tried to
create a photo with a bird perching in the snow, knows the short amount
of time that birds such as a cardinal stay in one place. Clyde places
this beautiful cardinal in one of the power points of a composition -
one-third from the bottom, one third from the side. The fresh snow
appears cold and uninviting, yet as the cardinal is facing inward, so do
we spend some time and follow the lines and patterns of the twigs and
branches of the bush upon which the cardinal settled on. We are reminded
of the coming winter and that upon going outside soon after the ending
of a snowfall such as the one in the photo, the air is clean, the snow
is fresh and white and muffles any other sounds that may be around.
Congratulations to Clyde for presenting such a contemplative scene in
such a transient natural setting.

Wolf Creekby Chip Evra

Chip is a frequent exhibitor at the Gallery, and has specialized in
breath taking underwater shots. In this photography Chip looks down at
the water instead of being in it!

He states that his goal as a photographer is to create “visual impact”
to receive an aesthetic response.
Wolf Creek certainly has such a visual impact…as it provides a
beautifully composed image of a beautiful place. Long exposure is used
to capture the waterfalls, but they are only components of the photo,
rather than being the major subject as is so often done by other
photographers.

Use of a panorama format allows the viewer to see a vast expanse of this
“mini-landscape”... being able to enjoy the creek and its surrounding
trees. The color palette reflects a calm and beautiful environment; you
can almost hear the stream ripping in the warm air.

One’s eyes are free to roam throughout this photograph, taking in its
beauty and providing a sense of serenity which is always welcome in
today’s fast pace life we live. Eyes are drawn from the front of the
photo along the stream, enjoying the waterfalls and small bridge then
the trees and finally the sky, then back again. Providing such a pathway
of what to focus on when looking at a photograph is the mark of a strong
composition.

Happy New Yearby Laura Knecht

Laura’s goal is the transform the ordinary into something that warrants
a second or third look. This photograph does just that. Metal shavings
do not immediately spring to mind as a great subject for a photograph.
Their color is monochromatic, almost gray. But by including the strong
orange-red colored rusted shelf support she has created a wonderful
image.

The shavings both frame the orange-red shelf as well as intrude into its
space, making for an almost abstract orange-red feature.

The viewer is presented with the pleasure of first enjoying the
photograph for its strong visual graphic composition then looking deeper
and seeing the components of the subject matter.

Laura’s title Happy New Year adds an additional dimension…it is
whimsical and has the viewer thinking of confetti and hearing “Auld Lang
Syne” playing in the background. Popping streamers, glasses of
champagne, etc.

Some of the shavings that are in front of the shelf support provide an
almost “gesture” to the photo, keeping it from being too static. The
viewer delights as they enjoy this very interesting and creative
photograph.

Canna indica (Indian Shot)by Susan C. Larkin

Canna indica has grown in the southeastern United State and
part of South and Central America for thousands of years. Its seeds may
be used in jewelry or in musical instruments and it roots are used to
produce arrowroot, a starch. It is possible that seeds of Indian shot
were used in flintlocks when lead pellets were scarce or
unavailable—hence the common name - Indian shot. Susan specializes in
capturing photos of plants in the bud or after the growing cycle is
over. The translucency and the texture of the seedpods in this photo are
spectacular; an indication of the amount of seeds that used to reside
within.Though growth is
long past, the stem and the trio of pods still seem to stretch upward in
a graceful embrace of the sun. The blurred background provides depth and
dimension to the pods. Canna indica is just one example of the artistic
techniques employed by Susan to help us see the beauty of nature

.

The Old Oneby Dick Thomas

There are many things that we often just walk by…one example are trees.
There are so many of them it is too easy to just “label” a tree as a
tree and continue on our journey. Dick has taken photography about a
tree…not just a photograph of a tree.

The main tree, The Old One, is in the center of the frame and he has captured the
stately majesty it presents. One wonders how long this beautiful tree
has been in this field.

What makes this composition especially strong is the counter-point of
the two trees flanking the Old One. They provide a reference to the
viewer to visualize how large the main tree is. They also allow the
viewer to add his or her interpretation to additional meanings for this
photo. Many of us like to anthropomorphize non-human subject like
animals, and this allows for a wide variety of interpretations.

The symmetry is strong in this photo, but not perfect on purpose. The
small bush on the left side of the photo breaks the symmetry in an
interesting way. The back ground is present but shrouded in fog…making
for a total primordial look, which strongly complements the subject
matter and the title of this photo.

Dick’s use of color is restrained, with the beautiful colors of the tree
counterpoised with the green of the foreground. The relatively gray
background presents a wonderful back drop for the three trees.

Image City Photography Gallery ♦ 722 University Avenue ♦ Rochester, NY 14607 ♦ 585.271.2540In the heart of ARTWalkin the Neighborhood of the Arts